Performance Books
4 total works
How we speak, what we speak and the impact of the spoken word is the story Patsy Rodenburg tells in this companion volume to her bestselling first book, The Right to Speak, her "Owner's Manual of the Voice." Rodenburg's humane attitude toward her reader and her keen awareness of the anxiety of amateur speakers set this work apart from other books on the voice. She first addresses each of the obstacles which prevent access to language and offers ways to overcome them. Part Two includes "Working with the Text," a series of exercises in which Rodenburg uses the language of Shakespeare, Romantic poetry, contemporary prose and numerous other texts in order to prompt the reader to discover his or her own unique need for words.
Beginning with what every first-year acting student faces in class and ending with what leading professional actors must achieve every night on the three stages of the Royal National Theatre, Patsy Rodenburg's celebrated work as one of the world's foremost voice and acting coaches is fully revealed in this thoughtful and inspirational book about the process of acting. Through a seven-step process, she takes the actor through an intensive voice and speech workshop tackling the vexing problems faced in rehearsal and on stage: breathing and relaxation; vocal range and power, communication with other actors and the audience; integrating movement, singing and speaking; deciphering and animating a text; adjusting voice to different size stages and auditoria; working in mediums beyond the stage; sustaining a performance through an entire evening and a long run and identifying and overcoming the countless potential problems that face every performer who works in front of an audience."The Actor Speaks is a stimulating read and an invaluable reference for all actors ...a landmark book" (The Stage)
A major new work for all actors by one of the world's leading voice coaches.
This bestselling book by one of the world's foremost voice and acting coaches is a classic in its field. Practical, passionate and inspiring, it teaches how to sue the voice fully and expressively, without fear and in any situation. "Even a short experience of working with Patsy Rodenburg brings striking insights into the way we use voice and body and how we can change these. Patsy's work releases untapped resources of energy, sensitivity and activity, and I can appreciate how useful this is in professional training, not only for actors but for all persons concerned with the way in which we express and suppress ourselves." Dr Malcolm Pines, Psychoanalyst